Background: Hepatic fibrosis is an important medical disease with high rates of morbidity and mortality. Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells have been recommended as a powerful therapy for treatment of liver fibrosis. Simvastatin has an ameliorative effect on fibrosis of different organs.
The study aimed at comparing between the effect of BM-MSCs and simvastatin in treatment of liver fibrosisinduced by CCL4.
Material and Methods: Fifty rats were categorized into, group I control group, group II in which rats injected by CCl4 to induce hepatic fibrosis. Group III in which rats were injected by CCL4,then injected intravenously by a single dose of BM-MSCs, group IV in which rats were injected by CCL4 then given simvastatin orally once daily for eight weeks. Group V in which rats were given both BM-MSC and simvastatin. At the end of the experimental study, blood samples were collected for biochemical analysis and liver tissues were prepared for histological and immunohistochemical examination.
Results: CCL4 significantly elevated liver enzymes and induced destruction of normal hepatic structures with significant elevation of mean area percentage of collagen fibers deposition and TGF-b expression. BM-MSC and simvastatin improved liver enzymes and histological structure of liver tissue, but the anti-fibrotic effect of BM-MSC was superior to that of simvastatin. Moreover, combination of BM-MSC and simvastatin exerted strong anti-fibrotic effect and preserved normal histologic structure of liver tissue more than each of them alone.
Conclusion: A combination of BM-MSCs and simvastatin has an ameliorative role in the treatment of liver fibrosis induced by CCl4.